The Weeknd on Michael Jackson: "He’s Everything to Me, So You’re Going to Hear It in My Music"

With the Grammys just days away, the Weeknd recently sat down with the Los Angeles Times to talk about his multiple nominations and his overall pop dominance in 2015 and beyond. During the conversation, the Weeknd opened up about his earlier days as an artist and how he wasn't really concerned with performing, but rather just his music. “I wanted to drop three albums in a year because no one had done it,” he said. “It was bold, unheard of. And the music no one had really done either. My agenda to be where I am now, came from after touring. Back then I didn’t even want to get on stage.”

As with any Weeknd interview, the topic of Michael Jackson, and specifically the King of Pop's influence on his career, came up. “Michael, man, that guy was the star. He invented the star. There will never be another Michael,” he said. “I want to make it very clear that I’m not trying to be Michael. He’s everything to me, so you’re going to hear it in my music. 'Off the Wall' was the album that inspired me to sing.” On if he's already thinking about his next project after Beauty Behind the Madness, Weeknd said that it's already in motion. “I’ve already started. What am I supposed to do? I’m a studio rat,” the Weeknd said. “All I do is make music. I’m thinking about music right now. How do I reinvent myself, of course. I’m not cutting my hair though.” Read the rest of the interview here.